Jessica Voiels, a PC with Greater Manchester Police, tried to rescue the boy allegedly thrown into River Irwell on Wednesday
A female police officer desperately tried to save an 11 month old baby allegedly thrown from a bridge into a river by his dad, MailOnline can reveal.
Jessica Voiels launched herself into the River Irwell in Greater Manchester in an attempt to save the child.
Later she took to Twitter to describe her emotional feelings saying ‘Had my worst shift yesterday. I can’t see many things being as bad as that in the future.’
Her mum Julie McCormick confirmed to MailOnline that her daughter had made a valiant attempt to save the baby boy named Zakari.
She said: ‘She jumped into the river to try to save the baby. It is awful.
‘Her Sergeant sent her a text saying not many people go through that in a lifetime.
‘People have been texting her saying that they hope she is okay. They are so proud of her and she has handled it really well.’
Mrs McCormick added that her daughter had visited the scene in the town of Radcliffe with other officers to lay flowers.
Jessica, 24, is thought to have been on patrol when an emergency call was made about a body in a river. Witnesses said the baby was in a Moses basket when allegedly thrown to his death.
She raced to the scene in and waded into the water but was unable to locate him in the murky water.
Zakari William Bennett-Eko was thrown off of a bridge and into the river in his Moses basket. His father ak Bennett-Eko (pictured with his son) appeared in court today charged with murder
Zakari’s mother Emma Blood (pictured with her baby son) has dedicated her Facebook biography to the baby, saying: ‘Zakari, my world, my heart, my soul’.
Zakari (left) drowned in the river in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester. His body was recovered by firefighters. His father Zak (right) was remanded in custody today as he appeared in court
The boy’s body was later recovered by firefighters and despite the efforts of paramedics at the scene and hospital staff could not be revived. The boy was pronounced dead at hospital.
The boy’s father Zak Eko Bennett appeared before magistrates today charged with his son’s murder.
The 22-year-old appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court in a hearing lasting less than one minute.
Eko was flanked by prison officers as he entered the dock and only spoke to confirm his name as Zak Bennett-Eko and confirmed his date of birth.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Crown Court on September 16.
Eko was arrested inside the Lock Keeper pub in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, at around 4.30pm on Wednesday.
WPC Voiels (pictured) jumped into the river and desperately tried to save the boy, her mother Julie McCormick told MailOnline today as she paid tribute to her daughter’s bravery
Later the WPC took to Twitter to describe her emotional feelings saying ‘Had my worst shift yesterday. I can’t see many things being as bad as that in the future.’
WPC Voiels’ (pictured with her colleagues) received a message of support from her police sergeant as they told her that not many people go through what she had in a lifetime
He had wandered in and asked for a drink just minutes after allegedly throwing 11-month his son from a bridge over the River Irwell.
Paramedics battled to save the little boy after firefighters pulled him from the water around 100 yards from the bridge.
The boy’s mum, Emma Blood, has dedicated her Facebook biography to the baby, saying: ‘Zakari, my world, my heart, my soul’.
In an emotional tribute posted yesterday, she added: ‘I didn’t know my child was dead until I got to A & E. We sat with him for hours, we held him, we kissed him and then I left.
‘I am alive, although I wish I was dead instead.
‘Let me grieve for my child, my whole world and so much more.’
A JustGiving page set up to raise money for Zakari’s funeral had raised more than £4,000.
Zakari’s mother Emma Blood (pictured in hospital with her son) posted an emotional statement on Facebook after his death and wrote: ‘I love my little boy and did everything for him’
A montage of photos showing the baby boy is on his mother’s Facebook page
On her Twitter feed Jessica, who describes herself as a ‘response cop in Bury’ received messages of support from colleagues and friends.
An Inspector Jim Jones posted a tweet praising the young cop who graduated from Liverpool University with a criminology degree.
‘Many cops will never deal with that in 30 years. Proud of you’ Jones wrote in a tweet.
Detective Inspector Wes Knights, who is leading the investigation on behalf of the Major Incident Team, said: ‘This is an incredibly tragic incident which has taken the life of a baby boy, who we believe is only around 11-months-old.
‘His family have understandably been left devastated by what has happened and we have specially trained officers providing them with support at this difficult time.
‘We know that there were a significant number of witnesses to what happened and I want to urge those people to come forward and provide us with as much detail as they can.
‘I would also like to say thank you to all those people who tried their best to help retrieve the baby from the river and to all those who have since provided support to the investigation by providing information.’